The health benefits of consuming blueberries are numerous. This small fruit provides nutrients that support the immune system and protect the health of the heart, digestive system and brain.
Blueberries have a characteristic sweet to spicy aroma, while their taste is fresh, sour and slightly bitter. Their use in the kitchen has spread to many countries and has diversified, so you can find them in sweet and savory dishes and drinks.
Known 3 healthy recipes with blueberries and make this rich fruit your nutritional ally, while pampering your palate.
3 recipes with blueberries
Blueberries are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and especially compounds called anthocyanins , which give them their color, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and make them a superfood for the brain . Plus, they are wonderful when it comes to preventing cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. They also favor the presence of good cholesterol, among other known utilities.
1. Citrus Arugula Salad with Cranberry Dressing
This salad has incredible appeal as it mixes the spiciness of arugula, the refreshing of orange and, as a dressing, the tangy hint of blueberries.
It is a healthy recipe that you can use as a main dish, designed for 6 servings with a content of 120 calories per serving.
1.1 Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce.
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of ginger.
- 3/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
- 250 g of organic arugula.
- 15 fresh mint leaves.
- 1/4 cup of natural almonds, sliced.
1.2 Preparation
- Grate the peel of the 2 oranges.
- Peel the oranges and cut them crosswise to obtain thin slices, removing the seeds. Separate half an orange to prepare the dressing.
- Add the half orange (and any residual juice) to the blender, along with the cranberry sauce, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, ginger, black pepper, salt, and half a teaspoon of the orange peel, until blended remains with the consistency of a smooth puree.
- Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the orange slices and drizzle with half of the blueberry dressing. Set the rest of the dressing on the side to serve to taste.
- Garnish with the rest of the orange zest, the fresh mint leaves and the almonds (preferably toasted).
2. Brie cheese in cranberry sauce
You can make this rich and quick preparation with blueberries to surprise your friends. It corresponds to a main dish for 4 people, with almost zero fat content and 413 calories per serving.
2.1 Ingredients
- 250 g of fresh blueberries.
- 1/3 cup of coconut sugar.
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- 1/4 teaspoon of fresh rosemary and 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt.
- 2 medium apples, sliced
- 350 g of Brie cheese.
2.2 Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius for about 10 minutes.
- Place the blueberries, coconut sugar, water, vinegar, rosemary and salt in a saucepan over high heat until it boils.
- Reduce the heat (to medium-low) and cook until the mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. At the same time, place the Brie cheese wheel in a baking dish, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake until cheese begins to melt (about 6 minutes).
- Transfer the Brie cheese to a platter and top with the cranberry sauce.
- Serve immediately with the apple slices. You can choose to garnish the preparation by sprinkling some roasted and salted pumpkin seeds.
3. Blueberry and orange spiced tea
If you are a tea lover and looking for something warm during the cold months, this is an excellent and healthy option to consume blueberries .
3.1 Ingredients
- 700 ml of blueberry juice and 1 cup of water.
- 4 bags of black tea flavored with orange and spices.
- 1/2 cup of orange juice, without pulp.
- 1/4 cup of vodka.
- Cinnamon sticks for garnish.
3.2 Preparation
- Place the blueberry juice and water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Immediately add the black tea bags, remove the mixture from the heat and cover. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Still hot, remove the tea bags, add the vodka and orange juice.
- Decorate with the cinnamon sticks.
Reference
- Huber, A. 9 Festive Cranberry Recipes for the Holiday Season. For Livestrong [Revised January 2019]
